Escondido officials have decided not to ban sign twirlers, choosing instead to more aggressively enforce regulations prohibiting the twirlers from obstructing pedestrians and distracting drivers at busy intersections.

"We're clearly taking a risk by not banning them because they're distracting people and creating the potential for accidents, but we need to give businesses the benefit of the doubt because of the economy," Mayor Sam Abed said this week.

Abed said he was also hopeful that
looser regulations
for other types of signs recently approved by the City Council would decrease the number of businesses relying on twirlers, who spin hand-held signs on street corners across the city.

The council approved a new sign ordinance this month that loosened regulations for sidewalk A-frame signs and feather poles, which are tall and narrow banners that flutter in the wind.

But two businesses that rely on twirlers said this week that they planned to continue using them because they help boost business significantly.

"It's very, very effective," said Otto Nuno, assistant manager of Gems N' Loans on Second Avenue near Centre City Parkway. "It creates 80 to 90 percent of our business."

Vinnie Griffin, owner of Vinz Wine Bar, said placing twirlers on Valley Parkway and Second Avenue helps draw dozens of customers to his business on Grand Avenue, which gets far less traffic than Valley Parkway or Second Avenue.

Abed said the council was worried that loosening regulations and continuing to allow twirlers might turn the city into a
circus
, turning off potential customers. Consequently, the new sign rules have a two-year "sunset" provision that allows the council to end them if things get out of control.

Griffin said that he empathized with the council, but that more signs were definitely needed.

"I know it can get a little monotonous, but I'm glad they eased up," he said.

While some people complain that twirlers are distracting, others call them joyful entertainers and exuberant urban ambassadors.

Barbara Redlitz, who oversees sign regulations as the city's planning chief, said city officials thought tougher enforcement of twirlers made more sense than an outright ban.

"There's nothing more complicated than a sign ordinance, especially with the free-speech concerns," Redlitz said.

But the city already has regulations that allow it to fine twirlers who take up too much of the sidewalk, who step into the street and block traffic, or who prevent drivers from seeing stoplights or stop signs.

"It's really about the manner in which the individual (twirler) is operating," she said.

Redlitz said the goal was to become more aggressive, explaining that enforcement was typically prompted by complaints. But she also said the city faced obstacles.

"The challenge is, we can't have officers on every corner looking out for sign spinners," Redlitz said. "And another tricky part is, they can just move."

Free-speech rights restrict the ability of cities to regulate the content of signs. But Randal Morrison, a San Diego attorney who helped San Marcos become the first city in North County to
ban sign twirlers
in January, said courts haven't yet ruled on efforts by cities to regulate twirlers.

"There's very little law specific to sign twirlers," he said, adding that an outright ban would be much easier to defend than some sort of partial ban.

Morrison said twirlers had recently become a
hot topic
for cities all over the nation, including Oceanside.

"It's getting discussed a lot, but I haven't seen many cities making a firm decision," he said.

He said cities might be able to regulate which corners twirlers could use, based on safety concerns. In addition, he said cities could ban them in certain districts.

Fred Baranowski, chairman of the economic development committee of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce, said twirlers weren't included in a recent membership survey because they weren't part of the city's proposal to loosen sign regulations.

But Baranowski said the chamber supported twirlers as another way for businesses to bring attention to themselves.